Eat First

Autumn in Central New York: 3 tasty ways to enjoy the season

Fall is here. September has been summer-like, but darkness comes sooner each day. The evening air is cool and leaves are slowly starting to change color. Farm crops are being harvested and roadside stands are aglow with the red and orange of apples and pumpkins.

The Central New York calendar is full of all sorts of fairs and festivals and other events to celebrate fall. Here are three events coming up this weekend that are sure to please local food enthusiasts.

Photo courtesy Baltimore Woods

Family friendly brunch – and a walk in the woods

Pancake breakfast meets Sunday brunch -- with a French accent -- when Baltimore Woods Nature Center, Marcellus, hosts its first Homegrown Community Brunch on Sunday (Oct. 4). The event takes the place of the EnvIRONmental Chef autumn fundraiser of past years. That event is on hiatus, according to marketing coordinator Stacy Drake, but could return another year. The goal this year was to offer a fundraiser that draws families.

Guests will enjoy French-style waffles and frittata prepared by chef Joelle Mollinger, of Joelle’s French Bistro, Skaneateles. Other locally sourced menu items include pancakes, sausage, apples and apple cider, coffee and milk. Children attending the brunch can order the Miss Hiss Secret Special, a menu item inspired by Baltimore Woods’ resident pine snake. Food producers donating goods and ingredients to the menu include Simple Roast Coffee, Kriemhild Dairy, New Hope Mills and Byrne Dairy.

After breakfast: Get outside and enjoy the autumn splendor. Baltimore Woods is home to more than six miles of trails that encompass woods, meadows, streambeds, ponds and scenic overlooks. Proceeds from the event will support educational programs at the nature center.

Details:

Time: Two seatings, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 10 a.m. to noon Sunday (Oct. 4)

Place: Baltimore Woods Nature Center, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus

Tickets: $9 for adults, $6 for children ages 5-12; kids four and under eat free. Purchase tickets in advance at www.baltimorewoods.org. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door.

Autumn Barn Party with local (and Philadelphia) flavor

Cazenovia native Jen Capozzi, a self-described “baker, herbalist and hostess,” returns to Central New York on Saturday (Oct. 3) to celebrate the harvest at an Autumn Barn Party hosted by Greyrock Farm.

Capozzi owns and operates Barlume Apothecary, a kitchen and storefront in South Philadelphia where she cooks up events and hosts private dining events. She is collaborating with local producer Food & Ferments on the barn party, which will feature craft cocktails, savory and sweet small plates and music. Food & Ferments is owned by Carly and Dave Dougherty, of Truxton. They produce fermented foods (sauerkrauts, kimchi, kombuchas, beet kvass and other products) for sale at the Central New York Regional Market, Cazenovia Farmers Market and other locations.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails and horse-drawn tours of Greyrock Farm, a year-round, full-diet CSA. Capozzi’s menu for the evening is vegetarian and gluten free. Expect savory plates like kobucha squash-ginger risotto topped with fennel pesto, cider butternut squash soup with sage millet sweet bread and rosemary roasted portobello mushrooms, with arugula, lentils and Food & Ferments beet kvass-balsamic dressing. Capozzi’s twist on s’mores for the evening’s bonfire will include homemade rosehip marshmallows, black cumin dark chocolate truffles and pistachio shortbread cookies.

Details:

Time: 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3

Place: Greyrock Farm, 6100 E. Lake Road, Cazenovia

Tickets: $65, must be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be available at the door. Purchase tickets online at http://www.barlumeapothecary.com/

Photos courtesy of Mighty Whimp - the Stazzone Family Farm

Open house at Mighty Whimp – the Stazzone Family Farm

What do two working fathers, one an educator and one a Realtor, do in their “leisure time?’’ Move from the city of Syracuse to Oswego County and start a farm!

On Saturday (Oct. 3) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mighty Whimp – the Stazzone Family Farm, will hold its second annual “Whimpfest.’’ That’s an open house, where visitors can sample goat milk (12 p.m.), goat cheese (1 p.m.) and goat milk ice cream (2 p.m.). Other items produced on the farm, including eggs and goats milk personal care products, will be available for sale.

Mighty Whimp - the Stazzone Family Farm is owned and operated by Daniel Stazzone and Raymond Trumble-Stazzone. Guests are invited to explore the farm property and visit the goats, lambs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and llamas.

Details:

Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 3); rain date Sunday, (Oct. 4)

Place: 36 Pine Tree Road, Hastings, 13076

RSVP: If you plan on attending the open house, email Daniel and Raymond at [email protected] 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT MIGHTY WHIMP – THE STAZZONE FAMILY FARM

 

In honor of The Honor System

Long before there was the express lane and self-checkout at the grocery store, there was the self-service farm stand.

You've no doubt stopped at a place like this: You pull off the road, seduced by a sign with an arrow that says ASPARAGUS -- or sweet corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, potatoes, eggs, honey... or all of the above. You look around for someone, then walk to the table or into a small shed or makeshift store, and find a notepad, pen, adding machine and cash box.

 

This is what is known as The Honor System, and it's a time-honored tradition: The farmer trusts us, the customers, to do the math, make change and deposit the money in the box, in exchange for the farm-fresh goods.

 

In this fast-paced, digital age, when people commonly pay for purchases by a swipe of their credit or debit card or by using their smartphone, The Honor System is a quaint reminder of days gone by.

 

In addition to being a charming slice of Americana, The Honor System allows farmers to work in the field or in the kitchen rather than mind the store, which is usually open all day, every day.

 

Most of the time, The Honor System is a system that works well for all parties. But, as with anything else, there can be bad apples that threaten to topple the cart.

 

A farmer in Madison County told me she has had an occasional problem with marauding youth squeezing tomatoes and doing minor damage to her merchandise and displays.

 

She is quick to add that she has never had a problem with money -- or, more specifically, with money being stolen. In fact, she says, it often happens that people over-pay -- and leave a note with instructions to keep the extra or to consider it a pre-payment for their next visit.

 

Some farmers, as you can see, have installed cameras so The Honor System isn't dishonored.

 

Another farm whose stand I frequent installed a camera system for a short time last year after both produce and money in the cash box was stolen more than once.

 

"To our most valued customers,'' a sign read. "Due to a few people who don't understand what we're trying to do here... We're sorry to have to record you... Thank you for your honesty.''

 

The cameras have not been in use this year. The Honor System tradition carries on, even when trust has been breached.

 

Said a friend who visits that stand regularly: "Folks who are farm stand thieves should be sentenced to community service and work on a farm.''